1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bicycle saddles and more particularly to a saddle that includes a contoured upper seating surface that primarily supports the rider's ischeal tuberosities and thereby reduces the pressure placed on the perineum.
2. Background of the Related Art
The shape of modem performance oriented bicycle saddles are generally horizontal in profile with a narrow front end portion and a wider rear portion with a concave intermediate portion for inner thigh clearance while riding. Most modem high performance saddles consist of a rigid or semi-rigid molded plastic or nylon shell over which a padded leather, plastic or vinyl cover is fitted. The use of these materials in modem saddles has resulted in a lighter, more durable and more appealing saddle than those of even a few years ago, but the seat contours have remained substantially the same.
The desired characteristics of a good high performance or competitive saddle include minimal weight, moderate stiffness, good comfort, and a functional outer surface contour that aids the rider's performance during competitive cycling.
A traditional road saddle design is generally comprised of a plastic shell, padding, a seat cover, and a suspension rail for mounting the saddle on the bicycle. The saddle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,912 is a typical example. The rail is made from a piece of relatively thick metal wire (e.g., about 1/4 inch diameter), bent into a complex shape. The rail is attached to the shell by inserting it under a moderate preload compression into sockets molded into the forward and rear edges of the shell. Foam padding is applied to the outer surface of the shell, and the cover, usually leather, is applied over the padding. The preload secures and stiffens the shell. The rails are slightly longer than the maximum distance between the front sockets, causing the rails to deflect slightly when they are seated into the sockets. The rider's pelvis normally bears on the saddle near the center when viewed from the side view. The padding deforms elastically to provide a cushion for the rider, and the shell elastically deforms a small amount under this load to provide additional cushioning.
A recent trend in the art has been the manufacture of extremely lightweight racing saddles that make extensive use of advances in materials technology to achieve a reduced overall weight. These saddles typically employ a lightweight perforated resin nylon base shell, which is mated to a pair of titanium rails arranged along the underside shell (or base) surface in the conventional manner. The top surface of the nylon-based shell is provided with dense foam padding and a cover stretched thereover and secured to the underside of the shell. A common problem with these and similar saddle designs is the tendency of the saddle rails to sag or bend after extensive use thereby producing an upwardly-bowed bend on the upper surface of the saddle shell. This causes extreme discomfort to the rider as the contact points of the pelvic bones ride on the hard surface of the shell.
The saddle must also adequately support and distribute the load associated with the pressure points of the rider's lower pelvis region on the saddle surface to ensure rider comfort for prolonged periods of use. While most modem day saddle manufacturers take advantage of advances made in plastics, composites and metallurgy for designing a saddle which is both lightweight and comfortable, compromises are usually made to one or more of the desired characteristics of the ideal performance saddle.
Accordingly, a bicycle saddle providing better support for the rider to both increase riding comfort and reduce fatigue is desired.